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We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs January 8 2026, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2026 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Releases 55 Literary Works in Classical Indian LanguagesOn 6th January 2026, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE), released 55 scholarly literary works in classical Indian languages at an event held in New Delhi, Delhi, to promote India’s linguistic heritage and inclusive access to classical knowledge.

• This compilation includes literary works in Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, and Tamil, along with an Indian Sign Language (ISL) interpretation of the Tirukkural.

About Literary Works: 
Publications: A total of 41 books were developed by the Centres of Excellence(CoE) for Classical Languages under the CIIL, Mysuru(Karnataka), an autonomous body under the MoE for research, promotion, and documentation of Indian languages.

• These works cover Classical Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia.
• English and Hindi translations of ‘Madalapanji’ by JK Nayak and Surendra Panigrahi, the English translation of ‘Rudrasudhanidhi’ by Gangadhar Panda and Pramodini Panda, ‘Shilpa Shabdabali’ by Debi Prasanna Nanda, and ‘Charyapada’ by Santosh Kumar Mohapatra were also released.

Tamil Works: The Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN), an autonomous institution under the MoE dedicated to classical Tamil language and literature, released 13 books and a Tirukkural Sign Language series.
Tirukkural Sign Language series: A 45-episode Sign Language interpretation series of the classical Tamil text Tirukkural, authored by Thiruvalluvar and containing couplets on ethics, governance, economy, and love, was launched to promote inclusive education and ensure access to classical wisdom for persons with hearing disabilities.
>>Read Full News

Indian Railways Electrified about 99.2% of its Network by November 2025In January 2026, Indian Railways (IR) under the Ministry of Railways (MoR), electrified about 99.2% i.e. 69, 427 Route Kilometres (RKMs) of its broad-gauge network (70,001 RKMs)by November 2025, emerging as one of the world’s most extensively electrified rail systems. Out of the total area electrified, electrification of 46,900 RKMs was done between 2014 and 2025.

• This significant milestone achieved by IR is in alignment with the ambitious “Mission 100% Electrification” which aims to transform India’s rail system from diesel-dependent network into a fast, efficient and environmentally sustainable backbone of transport.

About IR Electrification in India:
Pace of IR Electrification: Electrification expanded from just  1.4 km per day (between 2004-14) to an average of over 15 km per day (between  2019-2025).

• Also, the share of electrified track increased significantly from just 24% (in 2000) to 40% in 2017, and surpassed 96% by December 31, 2024.

State-wise Electrification: At present, 25 States and Union Territories, have been electrified with no remaining routes pending.

• Only 5 states namely: Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu (TN), Karnataka, Assam, and Goa, have residual sections under electrification. Together, these states account for just 0.8% (574 RKMs)of the total network .
• RKMs remaining in these 5 states are: Rajasthan (93 RKMs); TN (117 RKMs), Karnataka (151 RKMs), Assam (197 RKMs), and Goa (16 RKMs).

Global Position of IR: With 99.2% of its network electrified, IR now ranks among the world’s leading rail networks, surpassing countries like: China, France, the United Kingdom (UK) and Russia.
Solar Power Drives IR Electrification: The solar power capacity of IR surged nearly 244 times i.e. from just 3.68 Mega-Watt(MW) (in 2014) to 898 MW (as of November 2025).
About Ministry of Railways (MoR):
Union Minister- Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha- Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS)- V. Somanna (Constituency- Tumkur, Karnataka), and Ravneet Singh Bittu (Rajya Sabha- Rajastha)
>>Read Full News

HPCL Commissions World’s First LC-Max Residue Upgradation Facility in Visakhapatnam, APOn January 5, 2026, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), successfully commissioned the world’s first and largest Liquid Conversion–Maximum (LC-Max) Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF) at its Refinery in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh (AP).

• HPCL also introduced a digital optimization system for the LC-Max unit to improve operational stability.

About World’s First LC-Max Unit :
Framework: The RUF was owned and developed by HPCL as part of its Visakh Refinery Modernization Project (VRMP).

• With an investment of Rs.31,407 crore, HPCL’s Visakh Refinery  has expanded its crude processing capacity from 8.33 million tonnes per annum (MMTPA) to 15 MMTPA.

Capacity: The facility includes, India’s first residue hydrocracking unit, has a capacity of 3.55 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and can convert about 93% of low-value bottom-of-the-barrel oils into higher-value products such as diesel, jet fuel, gasoil, and other middle distillates.

• It comprises three massive reactors, each weighing about 2,200 tonnes (T), making it among the heaviest refinery modules globally.

Distillate Output: The distillate yields such as diesel and kerosene are expected to increase by up to approximately 10% compared to before the upgrade.
>>Read Full News

NITI Aayog Launches 5th Edition of ‘Trade Watch Quarterly’ ReportIn January 2026, Dr. Arvind Virmani, Member of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog launched the 5th edition of ‘Trade Watch Quarterly (TWQ) for Quarter 1 (Q1:April-June, 2025) of Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26),  in New Delhi, Delhi. The report provides a comprehensive and data-driven analysis of India’s trade performance in the context of evolving global economic conditions.
Key Highlights of Report:
Focus:The key focus of this latest edition was India’s automotive exports sector, examining international demand patterns, India’s export presence across vehicles and auto components, tariff structures and participation in global value chains.
Auto-Components Market: The global auto-components market reached USD 856 billion in 2024, growing at a 3% CAGR since 2015, while India’s exports nearly doubled from USD 8.2 billion to USD 16.9 billion, achieving a faster 7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the same period.
Automotive Exports: Since 2015, India’s share of the global automotive import market has stayed around 1%, with exports growing at a CAGR of 3.5%, slightly below the global average of 3.9%.

• The report highlighted that India, while performing well in certain automotive segments, contributes only ~USD 30 billion (1.4%) to the USD 2.2‑trillion global automotive import market in 2024, indicating significant scope to expand its share.

Goods and Services Trade: As per the report, the global trade in goods and services increased around 2.5% on quarterly basis during Q1FY26, driven mainly by developing economies and rising South-South trade, even as the United States of America (USA) trade weighed on the global average.

• It further highlighted Goods trade increased from 2% to 2.5%, while service trade rebounded.
• The report also revealed that India’s goods and services exports and imports reached USD 209 billion and USD 230 billion, respectively in Q1FY26, each increasing by around 3-4% on an annual basis, registering a combined deficit of USD 21 billion.

>>Read Full News

Indian Army Grants Supply Order to Tata Advanced Systems for Pinaka MLRS OverhaulIn January 2026, the Indian Army (IA) granted a supply order to Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), an aerospace and defence arm of the Tata Group, to support the overhaul-cum-upgradation of in-service first-generation Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) and Battery Command Posts (BCPs), marking a public–private partnership (PPP) in defence sustainment, at an event held in New Delhi, Delhi.

Phased Overhaul Programme:
Pilot Overhaul Phase: As part of the collaboration, TASL, in partnership with the IA’s 510 Advance Base Workshop (ABW), will jointly carry out a pilot overhaul of selected Pinaka MLRS and BCPs during the initial phase.
Full-Scale Overhaul Phase: After the pilot phase, the remaining Pinaka MLRS and BCPs will be overhauled by the 510 ABW(Meerut, Uttar Pradesh,UP) of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME).
Technical Support: TASL provides engineering expertise, certified spares, and quality assurance for the overhaul programme.
Coordinator: TASL ensures close coordination with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to support sustained availability of frontline artillery systems.
Overview of Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS):
Development: Jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) and TASL with a modular, future-ready design and software architecture.

• Since 1989, TASL and DRDO have collaborated on the Pinaka programme, delivering key contracts in 2006, 2016, and 2020, with systems in service for over 15 years and upgraded in later batches.

Role: An all-weather, indirect-fire artillery system delivering high-volume firepower with net-centric operational capability.
Platform: Mounted on an 8×8 High Mobility Vehicle (HMV), enabling high mobility and effective performance in difficult terrain.
Mobility: Equipped with automated ‘shoot-and-scoot’ capability for rapid deployment and enhanced survivability.
Firecontrol: Incorporates a microprocessor-based all-electric servo drive and Inertial Navigation System (INS)-based digital fire control for precise targeting.
Rockets: Fires Pinaka Mk-I rockets and is adaptable for future guided variants with extended ranges of 120 kilometer (km) and 300 km.
Indigenous: Achieves nearly 80% indigenous content, enhancing self-reliance and strategic autonomy in defence manufacturing.
About Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL):
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Sukaran Singh
Headquarters – Hyderabad, Telangana
Established – 2006

Simplilearn Joins IndiaAI Mission to Accelerate AI Literacy for 10 Million Citizens
In January 2026, Simplilearn, a leading global digital upskilling  platform, entered into a strategic partnership with the IndiaAI(Artificial Intelligence) Mission, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to host as well as roll out the national ‘YUVA AI for ALL’, a free national course to help everyone understand AI, on its learning platform.

• This collaboration represents a major milestone in India’s journey towards building a widespread AI learning ecosystem.

Key Details of Partnership:
Objective: By hosting the program on Simplilearn’s platform, IndiaAI mission aims to expand the reach of the course, which will make the learning of AI basics available for students, professionals and citizens across the country.
Certificate: As per this strategic partnership, the learners enrolled under the YUVA for ALL course will receive a co-branded certificate issued by IndiaAI and Simplilearn.
Key Role: The course will combine Simplilearn’s edtech expertise and structured content with MeitY’s comprehensive AI and technology resources, providing a standardized and easily accessible framework for foundational AI education.
Key Target: To democratize AI education and promote 10 million citizens to pursue and acquire basic AI knowledge.

MIB’s WaveX Signs MoU with FITT–IIT Delhi to Boost Media-Tech Innovation
In January 2026, WaveX, the startup accelerator initiative under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.

• The agreement, signed in the presence of Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, MIB, aims to accelerate media technology entrepreneurship in India through innovation, incubation, and ecosystem development.

About the MoU between WaveX and FITT–IIT Delhi:
Focus: The partnership focuses on broadcasting, entertainment, communication, and emerging media technologies.
FITT Role: FITT, IIT Delhi will support implementation, provide strategic and operational guidance, enable ecosystem linkages, and offer technical, Intellectual Property (IP), and capacity-building support for incubation centres.
WaveX Role: WaveX will act as the national facilitator by providing funding, policy guidance, infrastructure access, industry partnerships, and global market exposure for startups.
Leadership: WaveX is envisioned as a national catalyst for establishing world-class Media & Entertainment (M&E) incubation facilities through integrated policy, academic, and industry collaboration.
WaveX: It is a national M &E technology innovation and incubation initiative under the MIB, implemented by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in 2025.

DRDO Celebrates 68th Foundation Day in DelhiOn January 01, 2026, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), celebrated its 68th Foundation Day at New Delhi, Delhi.

• Union Minister Rajnath Singh, MoD; Union Minister of State (MoS) Sanjay Seth, MoD; Dr. Samir V. Kamat, Chairman of DRDO and Secretary, Department of Defence, Research and Development (R&D), MoD, were present at the event.

DRDO’s 2025 Strategic Overview & Milestones:
Vision: DRDO is reaffirmed as a pivotal force in Aatmanirbhar Bharat, driving India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem with a future focus on Cyber, Space, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Approvals: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) and Strategic Policy Board (SPB) accorded 22 Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) approvals worth ~Rs.1.30 lakh crore, facilitating Indian industry in the production of critical defence systems.
Contracts: As part of its expanding operational footprint, 11 defence contracts worth Rs.26,000 crore were signed with production partners.
Induction: Multiple DRDO -developed systems have been inducted into Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Police Forces, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), expanding operational reach beyond the Indian Armed Forces.
>>Read Full News

BANKING & FINANCE

HDFC Bank Integrates Digital Rupee CBDC into SmartGateway Platform
In January 2026, HDFC Bank integrated the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the Digital Rupee (e₹), into its online merchant payment platform, SmartGateway.

About CBDC Integration:
Platform: SmartGateway now supports the RBI-backed Digital Rupee (CBDC) alongside existing payment options like Unified Payments Interface (UPI), cards, and net banking.
Cost: Merchants can accept Digital Rupee payments at zero transaction cost, with an intermediary-free, efficient settlement process.
Customers: Enables a seamless, instant, and secure digital payment experience combining UPI convenience with sovereign-backed digital currency.
Impact: Strengthens the bank’s digital-first strategy and supports India’s transition to a cash-light, inclusive digital economy.

Federal Bank Unveils Refreshed Brand Entity ‘The Fortuna Wave’ On January 7, 2026, Federal Bank Limited, an Indian private sector bank,  launched ‘The Fortuna Wave’, a refreshed brand identity, as part of a strategic brand refresh to signal modernization and future-readiness, in Mumbai (Maharashtra) in the presence of Vidya Balan, brand ambassador of the bank.

About The Fortuna Wave:
Logo & Insignia: The central feature of the refresh is “Fortuna Wave”, a new visual insignia, which consists of three wave elements such as authenticity, togetherness, and prosperity.

• The design is more fluid and adaptable compared with the older boxed structure, improving visibility across digital and physical platforms.

Visual Features: It includes a dynamic wave motif, fluid, rounded typeface for the ‘FEDERAL BANK’ wordmark, signature yellow underline retained, and vibrant and digital-friendly color palette.
About Federal Bank:  Incorporated in 1931 in Aluva(Kerala), Federal Bank offers a wide range of services including savings and current accounts, loans, digital banking, and Non-Resident Indian (NRI) services.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

IRFC Secures ‘Excellent’ Rating from DPE for 5th Consecutive Year
In January 2026, Indian Railways Finance Corporation(IRFC), a ‘Navratna’ Central Public Enterprise (CPSE) working under the Ministry of Railways (MoR), has been awarded ‘Excellent’ rating by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF),  for the Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25).

• This marks the 5th consecutive year for IRFC to achieve the highest performance rating ever since it was listed in FY21.

Key Details:
Significance: This sustained recognition indicates IRFC’s ability to navigate emerging challenges and maintain institutional strength, and deliver consistently strong performance.
Whole-of-Approach: During FY25, IRFC continued to bolster and diversify its lending portfolio in a structured  manner, which is in alignment with “Whole-of-Approach”.
IRFC: Established in 1986, IRFC serves as the MoR’s dedicated financing arm, supporting railway projects and related infrastructure sectors.

• In its IRFC 2.0 phase, it reached the annual sanction target of Rs.60,000 crore by the third quarter (October–December) of FY26.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

K. Balasubrahmanian Assumes Charge as Chairman of AERB
In January 2026, the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, appointed distinguished scientist A. K. Balasubrahmanian as the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), India’s apex nuclear safety regulator, for three years.

• He succeeded Dr. D.K. Shukla, who completed his tenure on December 31, 2025.

About A.K. Balasubrahmanian
Experience: His career spans almost 40 years in the design, development, safety assessment, construction, and commissioning of Nuclear Power Plants (NPP).
Key Role: Held the position of Director (Technical) on the Board of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
Previous Role: He served as Chairman of the Project Design Safety Committee for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)-based nuclear power plants and as a member of theSafety Review Committee for Operating Plants (SARCOP) of the AERB.
Innovation: Contributed to first-of-a-kind systems with indigenous safety features, promoted self-reliance in nuclear reactor technology, and represented India in international conferences and technical forums on reactor technology and safety.
About AERB: It was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the former President of India, Giani Zail Singh under the Atomic Energy Act(AEA), 1962, and is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

GoI Extends Abhishek Dev Tenure as Chairman of APEDA
On January 6, 2026, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi,approved a one-year extension of Abhishek Dev’s tenure as Chairman of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry(MoC&I), effective from February 8, 2026.

About Abhishek Dev:
Profile: He is a 2007-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from Arunachal Pradesh (AR)-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre.
Leadership Roles: He served as Director in the Department of Commerce(DoC), MoC&I from 2021 to 2023.

• In July 2023, he was appointed as the Chairman of the APEDA.

About APEDA: Based in New Delhi, APEDA was established in 1985 under the APEDA Act, 1985. It is responsible for the promotion, development and regulation of exports of agricultural and processed food products such as fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry, dairy, cereals, processed foods and organic products.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA’s Hubble Telescope Discovered First Starless Gas Cloud ‘Cloud-9’ 
In January 2026, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Hubble Telescope discovered a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud, which is nicknamed ‘Cloud-9’.

• The results related to Cloud-9 were published in ‘The Astrophysical Journal Letters’, and later presented at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix.

About Cloud-9:
Location: This newly discovered dark matter-dominated cloud, considered a ‘relic’ or remnant of early galaxy formation, is located 14 million light-years from Earth near the spiral galaxy Messier 94 (M94).
Composition: Cloud-9 is also called a Reionization-Limited HI Cloud (RELHIC) as both have nearly same composition.

• For instance both REHLIC and Cloud-9 are composed of neutral hydrogen (with a mass of about 1 million times that of the Sun) and dominated by dark matter and have same diameter i.e. about 4,900 light-years.
• The mass of Cloud-9’s dark matter is projected to be about 5 billion solar masses.

Key Feature: Cloud-9 is invisible in visible light and only detectable by its hydrogen, which makes it a rare ‘fossil’ from the universe early days.
Discovery Timeline:  Discovered in 2023 via China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope(FAST) radio telescope and  in 2025  Very Large Array(VLA)/Green Bank Telescope(GBT) confirm neutral hydrogen core. In Jan 2026 Hubble’s Advanced Camera finds no stars within boundaries.

Indian Scientists Developed First-Ever Supercomputer-Powered Simulation to Model Mpemba Effect
On January 6, 2026, Indian scientists from the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), in Bengaluru(Karnataka) under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T), developed the first-ever supercomputer-powered simulation to model the Mpemba effect.

Supercomputers to Decode the Mpemba Effect:
Phenomenon: The Mpemba effect refers to the observation that water at a higher initial temperature can freeze sooner than water at a low temperature.

• It was named after Erasto Mpemba, who brought the phenomenon back into scientific discussion in the 20th century.

Supercomputer Unlocks Mpemba Effect: Scientists at JNCASR used high-performance computing to simulate ice formation at the molecular level, revealing how non-equilibrium thermodynamics, molecular rearrangements, and energy dissipation enable hotter water to freeze faster.
Implications: This study, published in Communication Physics, offers a technical perspective on phenomena such as material relaxation resulting from abrupt temperature variations.

Pakistan Conducts Successful Flight Test of ‘Taimoor ALCM’
In January 2026, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) conducted a successful flight test of the indigenously developed Taimoor Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), which was deployed from a Mirage IIIE fighter aircraft during a live-trial exercise.

About Taimoor Missile:
Developer: It is a new Pakistani ALCM developed primarily by Pakistan’s Air Weapons Complex. It is a turbojet-powered subsonic cruise missile designed to strike both land and sea targets.
Explosive warhead: It carries a conventional high-explosive warhead optimized for precise damage to defended infrastructure.
Range: It is designed to deliver high-precision strikes at targets located up to approximately 600 kilometres(km) away.
Capability: The missile features a state-of-the-art navigation and guidance system and can operate at very low altitudes, enabling it to evade hostile air defences and missile interception systems.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Earth’s Rotation Day 2026 – January 8Earth’s Rotation Day is annually observed across the globe on 8th January to highlight the significance of Earth’s rotational motion and to commemorate French physicist Léon Foucault’s historic 1851 pendulum experiment, which first publicly demonstrated the Earth’s rotation.

• 8 January 2026, marks the observance of the 175th anniversary of Léon Foucault’s demonstration.

Background:
Early Ideas: Greek scholars as early as 470 Before Christ(BC) proposed that the Earth rotates, an idea later developed in the 16th century by Nicolaus Copernicus through the heliocentric model and supported by Galileo Galilei’s observations in 1610.
Demonstration: On 8 January 1851, French physicist Léon Foucault conclusively proved Earth’s rotation using a pendulum experiment at the Panthéon in Paris, France.
Pendulum Setup: Foucault’s pendulum, consisting of a 28 kilogram (kg) brass bob, 38 centimeter (cm) in diameter, suspended from a 67 meter (m) long wire, provided the first direct laboratory proof of Earth’s rotation, offering visible physical evidence beyond astronomical observations.
Key Fact of Earth’s Rotation:
Axis: Earth rotates on an imaginary axis connecting the North and South Poles, tilted at approximately 23.5 degrees to its orbital plane.
Rotation: Earth rotates from west to east once every 24 hours (mean solar day) at a speed of about 1,670 kilometers per hour (km/h) at the equator, causing the Sun and stars to appear to move across the sky.
Diameter: The Earth’s diameter measures 12,714 kilometer (km) (7,900 miles) from the North to South Pole and 12,756 km (7,926 miles) across the equator.
Revolution: Earth revolves around the Sun in approximately 365 days, and its rotation speed varies slightly, causing minor differences of seconds per day.
Significance: Earth’s Rotation Day emphasizes the understanding that Earth’s rotation underlies day–night cycles, seasonal changes, and the Coriolis effect.

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